Hygienic dental device



Aug. 10, 1965 w. w. SlNAl 3,199,510-

HYGIENIC DENTAL DEVICE Filed Aug. 27, 1962 Fig. I

. INVENTOR F I 3 William w. Sinai A414 Attorney United States Patent M 3,199,510 HYGIENIC DENTAL DEVICE William W. Sinai, Orinda, Calif. (2844 Summit St, Oakland, Calif.) Filed Aug. 27, 1962, Ser. No. 219,440 3 Claims. (Cl. 128173) The invention relates to devices used for the care and cleaning of teeth, gums and oral cavity.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a single hygienic dental device of the character described a variety of simultaneous and cofunctioning actions resulting in more complete and effective cleaning of the interproximal spaces, a sanitizing of the oral cavity and rendering it free of objectionable odors, and a healthful stimulation of the gingival tissues.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hygienic dental device of the character above which may be constructed as a light weight and compact unit for conveniently carrying in the pocket or handbag of the user and which is of inexpensive construction adapted for low cost mass production encouraging economic replacement of the unit as required.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing (one sheet):

FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of a hygienic dental device constructed in accordance with the present inven tion.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the device taken on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device on a further enlarged scale and as taken substantially on the plane of line 33 of FIGURE 2.

The hygienic dental device of the present invention consists briefly of the combination of: a member 6 having a pointed tip 7 composed of soft flexible material adapted for insertion into the spaces between the teeth 8 for ejection of food particles and for massaging adjacent tissue of gum 9, member 6 being formed with an interior passage 10 opening to tip 7; and fluid discharge means 11 connected to member 6 for inducing fluid flow through passage 10 and for discharge from tip 7 for flushing the spaces between teeth 8 and gum 9.

The present hygienic dental device makes it possible to more effectively clean between the teeth and massage the gingival tissues than any other device or combination of devices presently known. Very small as well as large particles of food become lodged between the teeth during eating. Various devices such as toothpicks, toothbrushes, and dental flosses have been devised to physically dislodge large particles of food from between the teeth, but such devices are entirely inadequate in removing the tiny particles of food or solutions of food, such as sugar solutions, which if not removed ultimately cause tooth decay. Mouth washes following the brushing of the teeth or use of dental floss may remove some of the loose particles and solutions of food, but much of the foreign matter will remain on the sides of the teeth and in the interproximal spaces. This residual matter is not easily removed unless there is, as provided by the device of the present invention, physical contact of the device with simultaneous flushing of the surfaces to be cleaned.

As above noted, the present device provides as one of 3,199,519 Fatented Aug. 10, 1965 its actions the pleasant annd healthful stimulation of the gingival tissues in maintaining the latter in optimum health. This is provided by the massaging action of tip '7 and accordingly, the latter is here made of soft, compressible and flexible material such as rubber, natural or synthetic, or certain plastics having these requisite characteristics. The tip is fashioned and dimensioned for sufficient rigidity to pass between teeth 8 so as to dislodge food particles and yet be soft enough to massage rather than harm the gum tissues. The presence of fluid discharge into the interproximal spaces assist the tip in its massaging action. The liquid discharged may be an antiseptic, bactericide or a deodorant or a combination of the foregoing.

Member 6 is here mounted upon and is unitarily associated with a container 12 for the liquid to be dis charged, the member and container forming a small compact unit for convenient carrying in the pocket or purse of the user. Preferably, the container is manually compressible so as to eject the liquid content. The common plastic squeeze bottle type of container may be used in the present construction. Member 6 is here demountably secured at the normally top side of the container for most advantageous disposition of the pointed tip 7. As here shown, the base 14 of member 6 is formed with a socket 16 which is formed for snap fitting over a flanged head 17 formed on a plug closure 18 here press fitted into a neck 19 defining a filling and discharge opening at the normally upper end 21 of the container. Preferably, the flanged head 17 is positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of neck 19 so as to dispose the longitudinal axis of member 6 at about 45 from the longitudinal axis of the container for most advantageous handling of the unit in disposing the tip into the interproximal spaces. The demountable securing of the rubber tip member 6 facilitates the assembly of the unit and permits replacement of the tip as required.

A conduit 22 is mounted within the container and extends from adjacent the bottom 23 of the container to the closure member 18 for transmitting liquid 13 within the container to a passage 24 formed in the closure member leading from the interior of the container to the flanged head 17 for conduction of fluid to registering passage 10 in the rubber tip member, the latter passage 10 here extend ing longitudinally through the tip member from the base socket 16. Accordingly, upon manual compression of the container liquid 13 will be forced up through conduit 22 and through registering passages 24 and 10 for discharge from tip 7.

Preferably, liquid 13 is atomized for discharging in a spray form from tip '7. This is here accomplished by admixing air in the container with the liquid for producing an aerated spray discharge at the tip. The atomizing structure may be here readily obtained by causing air in the upper chamber 26 of the container to flow past the upper end 27 of conduit 22 so as to thereby entrain liquid discharging from the upper end of conduit 22 as the air sweeps by the upper end of the conduit and into passage 24. l/Vith reference to FIGURE 3, it will be noted that the upper end of conduit 22 is here supported in an opening formed with a cross-slot 28 which defines air passages along side of and over the top of the upper end portion of conduit 22 for conducting air from chamber 26 to passage 24. Accordingly, upon compression of container 12, both air and liquid will move into aligned passages 24 and 10.

The rubber tip member 6 is preferably formed with a longitudinal taper, as illustrated in the drawing, so as to define a pointed tip 7 which will readily penetrate the interproximal spaces between the teeth. At the same time, the member widens out towards its base 14 so that it will be brought into contact with the adjacent sides of the 3% teeth and gums for cleaning and massaging action. Passage 10 preferably extends substantially axially through the member and from the tip as illustrated. If desired, however, cross passages may be formed so as to discharge fluid from the sides of the member as well as from the tip.

The combination of the direct food particle ejection and the rubbing, scrubbing, spraying and irrigating actions obtained by the present device affords an unexcelled cleaning and sanitizing of the interproximal spaces rendering the oral cavity free from objectionable odors, and providing healthful stimulation of the gingival tissues.

I claim:

1. A hygenic dental device comprising, a member having a pointed tip composed of soft flexible resiliently compressible material and being of elongated smoothly tapered form with the pointed and adjacent portions of the tip being of such size to enable said part to be inserted into the spaces between the teeth for ejection of food particles and for massaging adjacent gum tissue, said member being formed with an interior passage opening to said tip, and fluid discharge means connected to said member for inducing fluid flow through said passage and for discharge from said tip and cofunctioning therewith for dislodging and flushing out of said spaces food particles lodged therein.

2. A hygenic dental device comprising, a unitarily associated portable hand held compressible container and a rubber member demountably secured at the normally top side of said container and having a soft flexible resiliently compressible pointed tip of elongated smoothly tapered form With the pointed and adjacent portions of the tip being of such size to enable said part to be inserted into the spaces between the teeth for ejection of food particles and for massaging adjacent gum tissue, said member being formed with an interior passage opening to said tip and into said container, a conduit mounted in said container and extending from adjacent the bottom thereof to said passage for transmitting liquid to said tip upon manual compression of said container, and means admixing air in said container with said liquid for producing an aerated spray discharge at said tip and cofunctioning with said tip for dislodging and flushing out of said spaces food particles lodged therein.

3. A hygenic dental device comprising, a unitarily associated portable hand held compressible container and a rubber member demountably secured at the normally top side of said container and having a soft flexible resiliently compressible pointed tip of elongated smoothly tapered form with the pointed and adjacent portions of the tip being of such size to enable said part to be in serted into the spaces between the teeth for ejection of food particles and for contacting adjacent gum tissue, said member being formed with an interior passage opening to said tip and into said container whereby fluid in said container may be discharged as a stream from said tip for cofunctioning therewith to eifect the dislodging and flushing out of food particles lodged in said spaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,225 9/18 Schamberg 15--525 1,696,486 12/23 leftreys 128-232 1,961,489 6/34 Hein 128232 2,006,289 6/35 Andvig. 2,016,597 10/35 Drake. 2,514,576 7/50 Hein et a1 128-232 2,577,321 12/51 Filger 128173 2,830,588 4/58 Davis 128225 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 125,945 12/31 Austria. 361,884 10/ 22 Germany.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner. 

1. A HYGENIC DENTAL DEVICE COMPRISING, A MEMBER HAVING A POINTED TIP COMPOSED OF SOFT FLEXIBLE RESILIENTLY COMPRESSIBLE MATERIAL AND BEING OF ELONGATED SMOOTHLY TAPERED FORM WITH THE POINTED AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE TIP BEING OF SUCH SIZE TO ENABLE SAID PART TO BE INSERTED INTO THE SPACES BETWEEN THE TEETH FOR EJECTION OF FOOD PARTICLES AND FOR MASSAGING ADJACENT GUM TISSUE, SAID MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH AN INTERIOR PASSAGE OPENING TO SAID TIP, AND FLUID DISCHARGE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID MEMBER FOR INDUCING FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID PASSAGE AND FOR DISCHARGE FROM SAID TIP AND COFUNCTIONING THEREWITH FOR DISLODGING AND FLUSHING OUT OF SAID SPACES FOOD PARTICLES LODGED THEREIN. 